FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Marylandian -- Moonshot, a leading Arizona-based nonprofit dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship, is proud to announce its 6th Annual Rural Arizona Pitch Competition Tour for 2025. This year's tour will expand to 20 tour stops across rural Arizona, offering entrepreneurs the chance to present their innovative ideas and compete for local prizes. New for 2025, the tour introduces bilingual resources and mentorship opportunities to better serve Arizona's diverse communities.

"The Pitch Tour is a tremendous rally point for all these communities to focus early-stage companies and small businesses toward their next step and continue to grow," said Mike Groeger, Vice President, Commercial Sales & Service of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. "From my perspective, no one does more to promote small business growth than Moonshot in rural AZ. We couldn't be more excited about our partnership with Moonshot and to continue promoting economic growth throughout the state."

The tour, which emulates the format of ABC's "Shark Tank," will kick off in early 2025 and make stops in the following locations:

1. Quartzsite: March 12, 2025
2. Parker/La Paz: March 13, 2025
3. Sierra Vista: April 11, 2025
4. Wickenburg: April 17, 2025
5. Prescott/Quad Cities: April 24, 2025
6. Verde Valley: May 15, 2025
7. Globe/Miami: May 21, 2025
8. Superior: May 22, 2025
9. St. Johns: June 19, 2025
10. Western Pinal County – City of Maricopa: June 21, 2025
11. Lake Havasu: June 26, 2025
12. Fort Yuma: June 27, 2025
13. Graham/Greenlee: July 11, 2025
14. Ajo: August 20, 2025
15. Sahuarita: August 21, 2025
16. Nogales: August 22, 2025
17. Payson: September 13, 2025
18. Flagstaff: September 18, 2025
19. Winslow/Holbrook/Joseph City "Little Colorado Corridor": September 19, 2025
20. Page: September 25, 2025

The Pitch Competition State Finals will be held in Prescott on Saturday, October 18, 2025.

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Participants will benefit from bilingual pitch training, mentorship, and materials in English and Spanish. Each local winner will advance to the state finals in Prescott, Arizona, with a chance to win the state title and up to $10,000 in cash as well as Crowd Favorite valued at $5,000, and several other new cash prizes.

"Moonshot's Rural Arizona Pitch Competition provides important opportunities and visibility for startups across the state, and we are proud to partner in their efforts," said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. "To date, many prominent Arizona startups from rural communities have been highlighted and accelerated through the tour. We can't wait to see what the 2025 competition has in store!"

The addition of bilingual resources and mentorship aims to foster inclusivity and empower all entrepreneurs. "As the Economic Development Representative for APS, I'm inspired by how Moonshot and the Pitch Tour empower rural AZ's small businesses to achieve bold growth and foster vibrant economic futures all across Arizona," said Mackenzie Fitz-Gerald, Economic Development Representative at Arizona Public Service (APS).

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Since 2018, Moonshot's pitch competition has transformed ideas into thriving businesses, offering economic development opportunities to rural communities statewide.

For more information on dates, locations, and participation, visit www.moonshotazpitch.com or contact pitch@moonshotaz.com.